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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Springtime opening set for Peace Bridge

Calgarians will be able to celebrate the first few days of spring by strolling and cycling across the Peace Bridge.

Construction work on the bridge is progressing well and the bridge should be open to the public March 24.

A number of items still need to be completed including work on the approach areas at both ends of the bridge, removal of the final segments of the temporary bridge structure, removal of the assembly platform, temporary grading and temporary pathway work. Final commissioning and tests on components such as electrical, lighting and security cameras must also be completed.

Graham Construction has also started removing materials from its worksite on the south bank of the river in preparation for opening.

The 850-metric tonne steel structure was moved across the Bow River over several days in late November 2011 and lowered onto the permanent abutments in December.

The 130-metre single span bridge stretches across the Bow River just west of Prince’s Island Park. The 6.2 metre-wide pathway will provide a clear separation between pedestrians and bicycle/wheeled traffic to enhance safety and ease of movement.

The Bow River pathway system in the area around Eau Claire is the busiest in the city’s entire pathway network with 13,000 pedestrians and cyclists traveling across the Louise Bridge, the LRT Bridge and the Prince’s Island Bridge on a daily basis. The Peace Bridge is designed to provide barrier free access for people of all mobility types both now and in the future as the area continues to grow with 40,000 new residents and over 60,000 new employees expected in the downtown area by 2035.

For more information about the Peace Bridge, learn about the project and see photos and videos of the bridge construction, please visit the Peace Bridge page on calgary.ca or call 3-1-1.